Downs & St Germain Research (DSG Research) is a leading market research firm specializing in tourism. Despite their expertise, they faced challenges in reaching destination marketers and establishing themselves as thought leaders. Seeking to overcome these obstacles, DSG Research embraced a strategic partnership with Learn Tourism, an influential platform in the tourism sector. This case study outlines how DSG Research increased its visibility, connected with destination marketers, and advanced its thought leadership through sponsorship at the Learn Tourism learntourism.org.

Company Background:

DSG Research has been operating for over a decade, providing comprehensive research, analytics, and consulting services to various tourism stakeholders worldwide. The company's reputation was well-respected within the industry, but it needed more widespread visibility to attract potential clients and connect with influential players.

The Opportunity:

Learn Tourism was a reputable online platform that catered to destination marketers, tour operators, and hospitality professionals. Their sponsorship offered DSG Research unique benefits to bolster its visibility and thought leadership status in the tourism sector. Some of the critical sponsorship benefits included:

1. Business Class Podcast Interview: DSG Research would have the opportunity to be featured on the widely-broadcast Business Class podcast, which had a substantial listenership in the tourism community. This interview aimed to highlight DSG Research's expertise, showcase success stories, and provide valuable insights to the audience.

2. Learn Tourism Blog Articles: DSG Research could contribute articles to the Learn Tourism blog. This would allow them to share their knowledge, research findings, and innovative approaches with a broad readership, solidifying their thought leadership position.

3. Collaborative Training Opportunities: DSG Research could collaborate with Learn Tourism to develop and deliver training sessions, workshops, or webinars. This collaborative approach would further strengthen DSG Research's reputation and credibility while expanding its network.

4. Increased Brand Exposure: As a sponsor, DSG Research's logo and brand would be prominently displayed on the Learn Tourism website, conference materials, and event promotions. This exposure was expected to boost DSG Research's visibility significantly.

The Strategy:

Recognizing the potential benefits of sponsorship, DSG Research devised a comprehensive strategy to leverage the Learn Tourism partnership:

1. Podcast Preparation: DSG Research prepared thoroughly for the Business Class podcast interview. They identified compelling case studies, trends, and data to share during the interview, ensuring they delivered valuable insights to the audience.

2. Content Creation: DSG Research initiated a content creation plan to produce high-quality articles for the Learn Tourism blog. They focused on topics that resonated with destination marketers and showcased DSG Research's expertise.

3. Collaborative Training Topics: DSG Research collaborated with Learn Tourism to identify training topics that addressed industry pain points and aligned with their research expertise. This ensured that their training sessions would be relevant and impactful.

4. Social Media Promotion: DSG Research actively promoted its sponsorship across its social media channels, maximizing its reach and engaging with its target audience.

Results:

The sponsorship at Learn Tourism yielded remarkable results for Downs & St Germain Research:

1. Visibility Surge: The Business Class podcast interview introduced DSG Research to a vast audience, significantly increasing its visibility and brand recognition within the tourism industry.

2. Thought Leadership Validation: The blog articles established DSG Research as thought leaders in the field, generating positive feedback and engagement from readers and industry peers.

3. New Connections: DSG Research connected with destination marketers and other influential stakeholders through collaborative training sessions and events, expanding their network and potential client base.

4. Enhanced Credibility: Sponsorship at Learn Tourism enhanced DSG Research's credibility, as being associated with a reputable platform bolstered its reputation in the tourism research sector.

Conclusion:

By becoming a sponsor at Learn Tourism, Downs & St Germain Research successfully increased its visibility, connected with destination marketers, and advanced its thought leadership in the tourism industry. Through the Business Class podcast interview, blog articles, collaborative training opportunities, and increased brand exposure, DSG Research positioned itself as a prominent player in the market, attracting new clients and expanding its influence within the tourism community. The strategic partnership with Learn Tourism proved to be a game-changer for DSG Research, enabling them to thrive in a competitive landscape and contribute significantly to the advancement of the tourism sector.